A thick layer of dirt blanketed the floor of the Oracle Arena as a different breed of athlete prepared for battle underneath the brightly lit domed sky. Make that two different breeds: The uniforms consisted of chaps, jeans, boots and hats on one side, and for the other, saddles, horns and hooves in a classic matchup of cowboys and bulls. With a nod and a holler, each pair burst out of the gate - one trying to hold on for at least eight seconds, the other thrashing about, mad as hell.

Mostly, the bulls won.

"It's kinda like dancing," says bull rider J.B. Mauney, coming off his recent victory over Bushwacker, a bull that had bucked off every rider for the past four years. "They make a move and you follow."

Part sporting event, part pyrotechnic show, the Professional Bull Riders Ariat Invitational took over the Oakland home of the Golden State Warriors in a blaze of fire on a recent Friday and Saturday night in September, marking the 20th anniversary of both organizations. Ariat, an equestrian and western-wear company based in Union City, outfits the Professional Bull Riders' athletes from head to toe, as well as the U.S. Olympic equestrian team. At the PBR invitational, Ariat sponsors a posse of about a dozen, with Mauney and Brendon Clark of Hollister as featured riders, among the sport's international superstars such as PBR World Champion Silvano Alves.

Though Oakland may not be country, the two-day live broadcast event drew nearly 9,000 appreciative fans decked out in their western best, cheering on their favorite bulls and cowboys. The city with an unexpected passion for bull riding: New York City.